Demuth



Feb. 21, 1956 c. DEMUT H 2,735,352

AIR QIS CHARGING AND DISTRIBUTING MEANS Filed on. 16, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 1 E EEEE W INVENTOR. CHA E4. E5 DEMurH.

14 TTO/F/VEKF.

Feb. 21, 1956 c. DEMUTH 2,735,352

QIR DISCHARGING AND DISTRIBUTING MEANS Filed Oct. 16, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES Dene/TH,

2,735,352 AIR DISCHARGING AND DISTRIBUTING MEANS Charles Demuth,Mineola, N. Y., assignor to Charles Demuth & Sons, Inc., Mineola, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application October 16, 1952, Serial No.315,165 2 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) This invention relates to means fordischarging and dis tributing air, and is particularly adapted, amongother possible uses, for distributors which take off air from a runningair duct which supplies air to a plurality of such distributors forair-conditioning purposes. Devices in accordance with the invention areadapted to be mounted in or upon the ceiling or walls of rooms in whichthe air is to be conditioned.

According to the invention, a plurality of rectangular louver elementsof progressively increasing size are so mounted that the larger onesrespectively surround the smaller ones in spaced relation, and thelarger one in turn being surrounded by a frame structure which is alsoshaped to form an additional louver element. The assembly of louverelements is supported and held together by fiat sheet metal stripsmounted on edge and extending from and secured together at the center ofthe assembly and pass diagonally through the corners of the rectangularlouvers and to the corners of the frame. These diagonal strips inaddition to their function as ribs to hold the louvers in assembledspaced relation laterally and vertically also serve as vanes to aid theair distribution. The whole assembly is supported by a single boltpassing through the center of said assembly up to a supporting spider tosupport the louver assembly, the diagonal strips at the same timeengaging in the corners of the frame to hold the same securely againstthe wall or ceiling. The principal surface areas of all of the parts aremade fiat and straight in such a way as to present a pleasing appearancewithout resorting to the trouble and expense of forming and properlypositioning any curved areas.

The invention provides a novel construction which is quite simple andinexpensive to manufacture, can be installed easily and quickly, andwhich is exceptionally durable, dependable and attractive in use.

The invention consists in the novel combination of features andarrangement of parts embodied by way of example, in the structurehereinafter described, as illustrating the presently preferred form ofthe invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings Fig. 1 is a verticalsectional view taken through the mid portion of the device as supportedat the ceiling of a room beneath a running air duct;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, the device as viewed fromabove;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the louver assembly separate from theframe and as viewed from above;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the louver assembly asviewed from below; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a preferred way in which the piecesforming the louvers may preferably be secured together.

Referring now in further detail to Figs. 1 and 2, por tions of a runningair duct are indicated at positioned above the ceiling 11 of a roomthrough which an opening 12 is formed for receiving the device. The mainportions of the device comprise a rectangular frame 13, a

showing I United States Patentb 1C 2,735,352 Patented Feb. 21, 6

louver assembly indicated generally at 14 (and in Fig. 3) a supportingscrew or bolt 15 and a spider-like supporting device indicated generallyat 16.

The spider-like device 16 may comprise simply a pair of sheet metalstrips as at 17, 18 formed midway of their lengths respectively withoppositely directed arcuate portions 1?, 2t? welded together to form asmall cylindrical opening into which the supporting bolt 15 passes. Athreaded nut or the like 21 is welded or otherwise secured in place inthis opening for a-djustably receiving the threaded bolt 15. It will benoted that this spiderlike device provides four leg portions adaptedrespectively to extend diagonally from above the center of the as semblyout to points above the four corners thereof, the outer ends of theseleg portions resting on the bottom inside surface of the running airduct.

In installing the spider-like device in place (before the screw 15 isinserted) it may readily be passed up through the ceiling opening 12while positioned along a vertical plane passing diagonally across theopening and then it may be placed in a horizontal position as shown inFig. 1 ready to receive the screw 15 and attached louver assembly.

The frame 13 preferably comprises rectangular face portion 23 surroundedby an upturned flange portion 24 engaging at its upper edge the surfaceof the ceiling (or of a wall in case the distributor is mounted in awall instead of the ceiling). The face portion 23 in turn surrounds alouver-like surface portion 25 which is bent into a plane extending atan angle inwardly and upwardly of about 45, this portion being integralwith vertical neck portion 26 extending further up into the opening 12in the ceiling and into the opening 27 in the duct.

The four sides of the frame 13 respectively may be formed of sheet metalbent to the cross-section indicated in Fig. l and such side portions maybe rigidly secured together at each corner by fiat tab-like portions ofsheet metal as at 30 (Fig. 2), spot welded in place, and by angularpieces of sheet metal as at 31 also spot welded in place on the fourcorners of the vertical areas 26 of the frame.

The louver assembly 14 of the particular form shown comprises threelouvers 32, 33, 34, which are square although it will be apparent thatother rectangular forms may be adopted if desired, and also additionallouvers may be provided. The innermost of these louvers 32 conforms tothe shape of a truncated pyramid and has a central opening for the screw15. The other two louvers 33 and 34 each comprises four sheet metalstrips each bent longitudinally as shown in section in Fig. 1 to provideareas as at 35 bent downwardly and outwardly at an angle, for example,of 45, and also vertical areas as at 36. As indicated in Fig. 5, thefour side pieces of each of the louvers 33 and 34 may be securedtogether at their corners by providing on the vertical areas 36 tab-likeextensions as at 37 bent over at right angles and welded to the otherside portion at the same corner.

In order to maintain the proper spacing of the louvers 32, 33 and 34 andto lend a high degree of rigidity thereto, as well as to support thesame from the screw 15, four diagonal sheet metal strips are provided at40, 41, 42, 43 as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The inner ends of thesestrips are positioned under a washer 44 (Fig. 1) on the bolt 15 so thatthe bolt firmly supports the louver assembly by way of engaging with theinner ends of these strips. From Fig. 4 it will be noted that the strips40-43 extend through the corners of the louvers in between the adjacentends of the angularly positioned areas 35 thereof. As best shown in Fig.3, each of the lower surface areas 35 at both end edges thereof isformed with tab-like extensions 45, welded to the vertical side surfacesof the diagonal strips 40-43, thereby providing in a simple inexpensiveway a strong and very rigid structure such that even if any of thelouver portions are struck with strong blows, they will be firmly heldagainst bending by the conjoint action of the diagonal strips and byreason of the angular cross-section of each louver element. Furthermore,since the diagonal strips are positioned vertically on edge and are ineffect reinforced by being welded at numerous points to the louverelements, they provide a very rigid supporting means not only for thelouver assembly itself but also their outer ends are adapted to engageand firmly support the four corners of the frame 13. That is, as shownin Figs, 3 and 4, each of the diagonal strips 40-43 has its outer endcut off at an angle as at 47, so as to engage in the corner portions ofthe frame where the angular frame surfaces 25 come together at eachcorner.

In installing the assembly after the spider member is put in place asabove explained, the frame 13 is put in place as shown in Fig. l,whereupon the louver assembly 14 with the bolt 15 is put in place andthe bolt is then screwed up into the nut 21 whereby the louver assemblyis drawn firmly up into engagement with the four corners of the frame,and thus the frame as well as all of the other parts of the device aresecurely held in place by a single bolt or screw.

It is to be understood that when the duct 10 is disposed exteriorly ofthe ceiling 11 (or of a wall) the frame 13 will be held in directengagement with the outer face of the duct 10.

Having thus described my invention with particularity with reference toa presently preferred form of the same, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art after understanding the invention, that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope of the invention, and it ismy intention to cover in the appendedclaims such changes as come Within the scope of the invention.

What i claim is:

1. A louver assembly having a plurality of rectangularly shaped openended hollow louvers of progressively larger outlines and so positionedthat those of larger outline respectively surround the smaller oneswithspacings therebetween, said rectangularly shaped louvers eachcomprising outwardly flaring side wall portions and vertical side wallportions, flat sheet metal ribs mounted on edge and extending from thecentral zone of the assembly diagonally outwardly through the flaringside wall portions of said louvers and secured thereto, and meansdisposed at said central Zone secured to the inner ends of said ribs andprovided with a central opening for receiving a supporting member, theouter ends of said ribs extending, outwardly beyond the corners of theoutermost rectangular louver and providing engageable portions forsupporting a surrounding frame.

2. A louver assembly having a plurality of rectangularly shaped openended hollow louvers of progressively larger outlines and so positionedthat those of larger out line respectively surround the smaller oneswith spacings therebetween, flat sheet metal strips mounted on edge toextend from the center of the assembly respectively diagonally throughthe corners of the rectangular louvers for retaining same in positionthe outer ends of said. ribs extending outwardly beyond the corners ofthe outermost rectangular louver and providing cngageable portions forsupporting a surrounding frame, and a single supporting means at thecenter of the assembly adapted to pass up to supporting means above, forsupporting the entire louver assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,017,728 Oskamp Oct. 15, 1935 2,106,458 Kurth Jan. 25, 1938 2,240,617Harrigan May 6, 1941 2,365,867 Dauphinee Dec. 26, 1944 2,367,104 DemuthJan. 9, 1945 2,519,503 Rigaumont Aug. 22, 1950 2,564,334 Kennedy Aug.14, 1951 2,577,771 Kennedy Dec. 11, 1951 2,671,394 Kurth Mar. 9, 1954FOREIGN PATENTS 282,974 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1952

